News

Blackhawks News

Saginaw out, but Portland can advance with win tonight

by
Emerald Gao
/ Chicago Blackhawks

Brandon Saad was awarded the OHL's William Hanley Trophy for most sportsmanlike player of the 2011-12 season. (Photo courtesy Terry Wilson/OHL)

In the first three second-round games between Saginaw and London, Brandon Saad logged two goals and three assists as the Spirit sprung out to a surprise 2-1 series lead. But the top-ranked Knights managed to shut down Saginaw’s captain and leading postseason scorer in the next three games, holding Saad without a point as the Spirit fell out of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs.

Saad finished with a team-high 17 points (8G, 9A) in 12 games, leading Saginaw to a 4-2 series victory over Sarnia to open the OHL postseason and giving London a scare to open the second round. Prior to Game 5 it was announced that Saad had been awarded the William Hanley Trophy for the OHL’s most sportsmanlike player, as voted by 20 OHL general managers.

Saad logged only 38 penalty minutes in 44 games played this season while pacing the OHL with1.71 points per game, and will be the OHL’s nominee for the CHL Sportsman of the Year.

In the Western Hockey League, goaltender Mac Carruth and Portland are facing a pushback from their second-round opponents, the Kamloops Blazers. After breezing to a 3-0 series lead, the Winterhawks have suffered their first two losses of the postseason. Game 6 was a lopsided 7-2 result in Kamloops’ favor, and Carruth was in net for six of the Blazers’ seven goals, making 26 saves on 32 shots in 47:37 of ice time.

Game 6 returns to Kamloops, where Portland can close out the series with a victory tonight.